This invention relates to holding clamps, and more particularly to a holding clamp for suspending an aquarium heater from the top of an aquarium frame and which permits accommodation of various aquarium frame sizes.
An aquarium heater is generally placed in an aquarium tank in order to maintain the water at a desired temperature. The heater generally is formed of a tube with an outwardly flared lip. Within the tube is contained the heater as well as a thermostat. The electrical circuitry for controlling the heater and thermostat is usually placed in a cap positioned above the tube from which wires extend outside of the aquarium tank to be connected to a source of energy.
The aquarium heater is then generally suspended into the water so that the thermostat elements in the tube can detect the temperature of the water, and when preset temperature limits are reached, the heater will appropriately be turned on or off so as to maintain the desired temperature range of the water. Although the tubular portion of the aquarium heater is situated within the water, the circuitry contained in the cap is generally maintained above the water. Accordingly, it is generally desired to hold the aquarium heater in a rigid manner and suspended from the top portion of the aquarium frame. In order to hold the aquarium heater in this position, a clamp arrangement is necessary to secure the aquarium heater onto the aquarium frame with the tube suspended therefrom and situated in the water with the cap above the water level.
One problem with existing clamp arrangements concerns their ability to accommodate various types of aquarium frames. Generally, the aquarium frame includes a U-shaped channel which receives the upper edge of the glass, with the channel fitting over the glass. However, the width of the aquarium frame varies, depending upon the style and type of frame, as well as depending to some extent upon the thickness of the glass being used. Additionally, most aquarium frames not only include the U-shaped channel, but also include an inwardly extending peripheral lip. The extent that this lip extends inwardly of the frame also varies depending upon the style and type of aquarium frame.
Accordingly, it has become necessary to design the clamp, which holds the aquarium heater, to fit a particular frame style and size. As a result, it has become necessary to have numerous types of clamps each particularly associated with a type of aquarium frame. If one then wants to take an aquarium heater from one aquarium to another, it is not always possible to utilize the same clamp to hold the aquarium heater. A separate type of clamp must be obtained, being particularly designed to accommodate the particular type of aquarium frame being used.